Ombudsman forms panel to probe Purisima on gun deal

MANILA, Philippines - Just days after confirming that a lifestyle check on Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima is underway, the Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday the creation of a special panel of investigators that will look into complaints accusing him of involvement in a supposedly questionable gun license delivery deal with a private courier service.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said she formed a special team of graft probers to conduct a preliminary investigation that will determine if Purisima could be held liable for plunder or graft that would be filed before the Sandiganbayan.

The five-man panel will also look into the filing of possible administrative cases against Purisima, including grave abuse of authority and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Morales said the probe stemmed from two separate complaints filed against the PNP chief and other ranking police officials for entering into an allegedly anomalous courier service contract with WERFAST Documentary Agency in 2011.

The case filed by the Fact-Finding Investigation Bureau of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (FFIB-MOLEO) accuses Purisima of gross neglect of duty.

Director Gil Meneses, former chief of the PNP Civil Security Group (CSG), former officials of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) identified Chief Superintendents Raul Petrasanta and Napoleon Estilles, Senior Superintendents Allan Parreno, Eduardo Acierto and Melchor Reyes; Superintendents Lenbell Fabia; Chief Inspectors Sonia Calixto, Nelson Bautista and Ricardo Zapata; and Inspector Ford Tuazon meanwhile face allegations of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

In addition, Meneses, Petrasanta, Parreno, Acierto, Reyes, Fabia, Calixto, Bautista, Tuazon, Zapata, Estilles and WERFAST representatives Mario Juan, Salud Bautista, Enrique Valerio, Ireno Bacolod, Lorna Perena, Juliana Pasia and Marilyn Chua all face separate graft charges.

An anonymous complaint had claimed that Purisima and other PNP officials siphoned funds from the mandatory delivery fees paid by gun owners in securing their gun licenses by entering into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with WERFAST for courier services in the delivery of firearms license cards.

The deal dated May 25, 2011 was a result of Oplan Katok, a police gun ownership verification program aimed at creating a more effective system of monitoring legitimate gun owners.

Documents disclosed that the CSG, through Meneses, approved the accreditation of WERFAST before the company had undergone any accreditation from FEO.

Despite this, on Feb. 12, 2013, Purisima allegedly approved a memorandum issued by Meneses recommending the implementation of the delivery of approved firearms license cards by the accredited courier service provider.

Records showed that it was only on April 1, 2013 that the FEO through Petrasanta, Parreno, Acierto, Reyes, Fabia, Calixto, Bautista, Tuazon and Zapata issued a resolution accrediting WERFAST.

Fact-finding investigation disclosed that WERFAST was incorporated after the execution of the MOA, with a capitalization of only P65,000 and despite having failed to meet the requirements for accreditation such as the submission of clearance from the PNP Directorate for Intelligence.

Records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) also revealed that the private firm did not pay taxes from 2011 to 2013 and as per records of the Department of Science and Technology-Postal Regulation Committee, it is not accredited to engage in courier services in the country and there were no records to show that the firm established an online facility for applications for renewal of firearms license.

The FFIB-MOLEO complaint further alleges that due to lack of track record and logistical capability, WERFAST engaged the services of LBC wherein WERFAST “collected P190 for deliveries within Metro Manila and P290 for those outside of Metro Manila,” when “other courier service providers charge only P90 within Metro Manila.”

Investigation and verification based on FEO records bared that some 90,455 firearms license cards were issued for delivery from March 2013 to March 2014.

Ombudsman Morales said the second complaint filed by Glenn Gerard Ricafranca against Purisima, Estilles and WERFAST officials for plunder, graft and violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act will also be included in the preliminary investigation proceedings.